Drivers in Kilkenny

up for anything

Is what to do when you hear an emergency services vehicle coming not any part of the driving test here in Kilkenny? I have never lived in any place where people are not just heedless but absolutely ignorant of what steps they should take when they hear those sirens or see those lights. I especially love the people who find themselves in front of an ambulance and step on the accelerator to try and stay ahead of them.

toe_knee

up for anything wrote: »

Is what to do when you hear an emergency services vehicle coming not any part of the driving test here in Kilkenny? I have never lived in any place where people are not just heedless but absolutely ignorant of what steps they should take when they hear those sirens or see those lights. I especially love the people who find themselves in front of an ambulance and step on the accelerator to try and stay ahead of them.

Don't think this is unique to Kilkenny. I do a lot of driving all over Ireland and have witnessed people doing all sorts of things. Even seen someone slam on the brakes and cause an accident in front of am ambulance

cocoshovel

Havent really noticed that myself. The only thing about Kilkenny that annoys me in terms of road rules is the amount of cyclist who dont use the cycle paths, despite them being in perfect condition. I know because I check the see how they are when I see a cyclist not on them.

toe_knee

cocoshovel wrote: »

Havent really noticed that myself. The only thing about Kilkenny that annoys me in terms of road rules is the amount of cyclist who dont use the cycle paths, despite them being in perfect condition. I know because I check the see how they are when I see a cyclist not on them.

Or the pedestrians that walk out in front of your car on High Street even though there are pedestrian crossings everywhere.... Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh

Plug

cocoshovel wrote: »

Havent really noticed that myself. The only thing about Kilkenny that annoys me in terms of road rules is the amount of cyclist who dont use the cycle paths, despite them being in perfect condition. I know because I check the see how they are when I see a cyclist not on them.

Expect a ban from Captain Havoc:p

Captain Havoc

I never use cycle paths. That is all.

Cabaal

cocoshovel wrote: »

Havent really noticed that myself. The only thing about Kilkenny that annoys me in terms of road rules is the amount of cyclist who dont use the cycle paths, despite them being in perfect condition. I know because I check the see how they are when I see a cyclist not on them.

Would these be the shared cycle lanes perhaps?

The type of cycle lanes that have people walking dogs on them and if you were to cycle on them at say a avg normal speed of 25km/hour you'd likely be knocked off the bike by either a person, a dog or some fool opening the car door infront of you.

I'd be sticking to the road myself,

Jimmy Iovine

cocoshovel wrote: »

Havent really noticed that myself. The only thing about Kilkenny that annoys me in terms of road rules is the amount of cyclist who dont use the cycle paths, despite them being in perfect condition. I know because I check the see how they are when I see a cyclist not on them.

Whoever designed them has clearly never cycled a bike before. The ones running down the Freshford just at the back entrance to Loreto are lethal. You're risking your life if you actually follow them. For some reason half way along the cycle path they decided to put in a pedestrian crossing that juts out and cuts off the path. Then there are all the cars that park along that road on a daily basis. You have to move out to get past them and then hope that the car behind you sees you moving out and doesn't try to plough you down. A pure mess and a waste of money in my opinion. It almost seems like they put them down for the sake of it and couldn't be arsed planning them.

cocoshovel

Pfft, no excuses! Ye can still use them and I would too. Except I cycle in the countryside and always submit to cars and keep in as best I can. I dont understand why other cyclists cant do this either. You can always go around obstacles even if it does require you to go out on the road, have a look behind you to see if the way is clear before you do so a car doesnt run you down. I realize a lot of people park in the cycle lanes which can be annoying but just cycle out on the road then until its clear to go back in.

Ive opened a horrible can of worms here havent I?

Captain Havoc

cocoshovel wrote: »

Ive opened a horrible can of worms here havent I?

I was out with a beginner tonight and I preferred to keep her on the cycle lane for her own safety. The one on the ring road wouldn't be OK for someone like me to cycle on normally, it's uncomfortable on a racing bike with 120psi in the tyres. Also going towards a dog on a leash at 50kph isn't fun either. I do agree that some cyclists are just dicks. I was out one day with another cyclist, we were cycling side by side and I went to single out but he kept slowing or speeding when I did, I explained that I was trying to single out but he said we were entitled to cycle two abreast (which we are) but I explained that, that doesn't make it right.

I could write a whole book bitching about various road users. I thought there was some bad drivers convention in Kilkenny last Wednesday, between people driving at 100kph on the motorway in the overtaking lane :mad: Braking suddenly on the ring road and the amount of people that don't know how to indicate on a roundabout is unreal. My favorite of the regular dicks you come across are the pedestrians that walk out in front of you at a pedestrian crossing without looking. You see them on the path, they're walking straight down when all of a sudden they make a 90 degree turn onto the crossing and you slam on the brakes with your heart coming out your arse.

Davidian_ie

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I never use cycle paths. That is all.

Just for you Cappy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWSOxCsAYc0

tuxy

^ wow

Here's something that illustrates my experiences of bike lanes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzE-IMaegzQ

fabbydabby

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I never use cycle paths.

I do. I find it hard to get my entire car into it though.

Captain Havoc

Davidian_ie wrote: »

Just for you Cappy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWSOxCsAYc0

I've seen this before. I wouldn't be of the militant cycling variety because I drive also and I'm not in the save the whale camp either, I cycle for fun, fitness and handiness. The driver obviously has mental problems though, it's not funny. I've been knocked down twice by cars, once was my own fault and I acknowledged it there and then with the driver, the other absolutely was no way my fault and I should have complained about the driver as she really didn't seem overly concerned about me but I've this "hard man" mode that I go into every time I crash.

fabbydabby wrote: »

I do. I find it hard to get my entire car into it though.

This

up for anything

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I could write a whole book bitching about various road users. I thought there was some bad drivers convention in Kilkenny last Wednesday, between people driving at 100kph on the motorway in the overtaking lane :mad: Braking suddenly on the ring road and the amount of people that don't know how to indicate on a roundabout is unreal. My favorite of the regular dicks you come across are the pedestrians that walk out in front of you at a pedestrian crossing without looking. You see them on the path, they're walking straight down when all of a sudden they make a 90 degree turn onto the crossing and you slam on the brakes with your heart coming out your arse.

I'm with you on all of those but the Zebra crossing abusers are the worst. They should bring back that public service advertisement showing which showed people how to use zebra crossings - also the Michelangelo box one. Now I'm off to rant about the price of petrol in Kilkenny in the petrol thread.

Surveyor11

cocoshovel wrote: »

and always submit to cars and keep in as best I can. I dont understand why other cyclists cant do this either.

Why should cars get priority? It's about sharing the road and cycling defensively (not aggressively!)

cocoshovel wrote: »

so a car doesnt run you down. ?

Yep, can't beat a dtermined motorist hell bent on messing up a cyclist!

cocoshovel wrote: »

but just cycle out on the road then until its clear to go back in.

People park cars in such a way that shows a total ignorance towards pedestrians, other road users and cyclists.

cocoshovel wrote: »

Ive opened a horrible can of worms here havent I?

Sure have, although I cycle on the road. It's safer in the long run.

JohnMc1

Driving is terrible here. I live on a one way street so ofcourse there are morons constantly driving the wrong way they obviously cut down this way to avoid the traffic lights or if they're coming out of Langtons]