Buffalo & Doozerie - The mild musings of two grumpy old men!

Lusk_Doyle

Uno my Uno. wrote: »

I always try to remain restrained on the roads if not zen but had I been in your position I would have been hammering on the passenger window, if not sitting on the bonnet, howling for blood.

Bloody vampires. Never satisfied.

Leroy42

@Doozerie, I think you are putting too much thought into this. The drivers who park their cars on the footpath have not been switched into some evil non caring being. It is simply a combination of group think (everyone else parks their cars like this so it must be ok) and a being selfish (I haven't got time to park further way safely and walk).

I am starting to get my daughter to cycle to school and of course she is unsteady and moves about a bit so the footpath is safer for everyone. With the bin day this week she was faced with all these bins also on the footpath. Of course to you and me the gap is still sufficient that it really makes a difference but to her it was like she was laser guided to the bins. That will of course get better as her confidence grows but one thing that always amazes me if that pedestrians don't seem to take any heed of this, quite obviously lacking in control, child and make no attempt to get out of the way. I'm not taking about jumping clear or anything, but seeing the child coming, simply slow down or wait to give her the full space. Of course it is not 'right' she is on the path, but seriously, shes a kid going to school!

Then we have the cars parked on the path. Mostly I try to get on the car side of her to avoid her coming close to it, but that causes even more problems as now not only has the car reduced the path, I'm making the gap even smaller. The last few days I've actually come to the conclusion that if she hits the car then tough. They shouldn't be there and it's kinda of their own fault. They are parking on the path to reduce the inconvenience on the other road users but seem to have little regard to the path users (this is not just about my kid on the bike, pushchairs, kids on scooters, walkers, runners, wheelchair users, blind people etc etc).

At the end of the day people are focused on their own little bubble and what effects them.

BoardsMember

Kids cycling on footpath is a difficult one. I don't mind it myself, and understand why Leroy let's his daughter on the path. But from another perspective, it might look a bit like someone ignoring the rules that don't suit them. I know a few old bats around my area that have serious problems with kids on bikes on footpaths. If on the path I would be suggesting that whenever they come near a pedestrian they put the foot down and stop, I dont think it is reasonable to expect the pedestrian to make way.

Fian

BoardsMember wrote: »

Kids cycling on footpath is a difficult one. I don't mind it myself, and understand why Leroy let's his daughter on the path. But from another perspective, it might look a bit like someone ignoring the rules that don't suit them. I know a few old bats around my area that have serious problems with kids on bikes on footpaths. If on the path I would be suggesting that whenever they come near a pedestrian they put the foot down and stop, I dont think it is reasonable to expect the pedestrian to make way.

Kids cycling on a footpath are generally going slowly, and are being supervised very carefully by a parent most times, so they are unlikely to pose a hazard to pedestrians, not to mention their momentum is a product of speed and mass, and their mass is low.

There is a much better reason to object to it though: it is dangerous for the kids.

I cycle my kids to school frequently, no way would I let them join many of their peers on the footpath. They have the right of way on the road and more importantly they are not going to get creamed by a car pulling out of a driveway. They cycle in single file in front of me, I cycle behind them far enough out into the lane that a car who absolutely must rush to come to a halt at the traffic lights queue at the end of the (estate) road we cycle along can't skim close by them as it passes. It's a no brainer as far as i am concerned, they are much safer on the road than on a path bordered by driveways from which cars are exiting to go to work or drop kids to school.

Cycling on the path is a bit like cycling along in the door zone - mostly you are going to be fine but sooner or later something will happen way too suddenly for you to do anything about it. And kids on bikes tend to be lower than they would be walking so cars exiting have little chance to spot them cycling along with walls/hedges etc. blocking their view.

Leroy42

@Fian, I completely agree with you on the dangers. In this case, my kid is only just getting used to cycling without stabilisers etc and so I can't let her on the road just yet. I did however, take her onto the road for a few hundred meters the other day as part of the process.

doozerie

Leroy42 wrote:

@Doozerie, I think you are putting too much thought into this. The drivers who park their cars on the footpath have not been switched into some evil non caring being. It is simply a combination of group think (everyone else parks their cars like this so it must be ok) and a being selfish (I haven't got time to park further way safely and walk).

I completely agree with their actions being both selfish and a result of group think. The reason I think it warrants any further consideration is because, if we really want this behaviour to change, then we need to understand why otherwise rational people willingly (and I believe it is a conscious decision, regardless of much they themselves might resent that suggestion) choose to behave in a way which poses very real dangers for others.

There are many scenarios where people make spur of the moment decisions in traffic, and they could reasonably argue that any irrational/stupid decisions made in that instant were not malicious. However, parking a car is something that takes enough time that a driver has plenty of opportunity to consider the implications of where and how they position their lump of iron.

Park your car in such a way that it blocks the only footpath on a stretch of twisty and relatively busy road, where the presence of the primary school, church, houses, and a nearby public park virtually guarantee the presence of pedestrians and young kids on bikes, and you are genuinely putting lives at risk. Far too many motorists are willing to do exactly that, if we simply write it off as the inevitable effect of group think then we’ll never address the behaviour.

Can we ever change such behaviour, really? I don’t know, but if we stop screaming about it then it’s certain that we won’t. Not that I believe you are suggesting that we just accept it, by the way, the issue obviously affects you and your daughter directly too so you couldn’t ignore it even if you wanted to, but it gets dismissed as a very real social problem far too readily. I once phoned the local Garda station to complain that I was obliged to walk (with my daughter in her buggy) on the road into a blind bend, because the mass-goers had completely blocked the single footpath with their cars. I was told by the garda that there was nothing he could do. If I’d inadvertently relocated a few wing mirrors as I went past then I’m sure he’d have discovered he could do something in that scenario, criminal damage comes before dangerous “driving” in terms of things to be stamped upon, I reckon.

Back to our broken attitude to the roads: walk up to someone and punch them in the face and the expectation is that you’ll be charged with assault and end up with a conviction and a fine or custodial sentence. Likewise, point a licensed gun in someone’s face and, even if you don’t pull the trigger, you’ll expect there to be serious consequences. Use your car to “gently nudge” a cyclist or pedestrian out of the way, and in all likelihood you won’t even get a slap on the wrist. Nudge another car out of the way though, and expect you or your insurance company to be facing a stressful few months ahead.

That seems like a very broken society to me. The only way I see to redeem it is for each of us to continue to be appalled by the unfairness of certain situations, by fighting against them maybe we’ll convince one more person to see them in their true light too, and maybe they’ll go on to convince one more, etc. Sure, there are much bigger things going on in the world than motorists parking on pavements or cyclists running red lights, but change has to start somewhere, and changing your immediate environment for the better is a very feasible option available to each and every one of us - that gives us a lot of power individually, if only we wielded it well. We get the world we deserve - a very simplistic phrase obviously, but there is a lot of truth in it too.

DaithiMC

doozerie wrote: »

I completely agree with their actions being both selfish and a result of group think. The reason I think it warrants any further consideration is because, if we really want this behaviour to change, then we need to understand why otherwise rational people willingly (and I believe it is a conscious decision, regardless of much they themselves might resent that suggestion) choose to behave in a way which poses very real dangers for others.

I don't think I am a cynic to the extent that I am negative, I think I am generally positive and optimistic. However I think expecting behaviours like this to change is too optimistic and unfortunately I am cynical that any collective acceptance and behavioural change can happen without some enforcement of the rules. I think the enforcement is not necessarily by people but can be by "things" such as bollards on the paths, or less intrusive, clear markings.

I commented on this somewhere before but I was amazed at the change in behaviour a simple road upgrade outside the Goat a couple of years back prompted. Basically, the road was resurfaced and the clearway box (yellow hatch patttern) was removed from two places. When they were removed there was no gap left for drivers coming out on to the road, cue multiple demonstrations of dissatisfaction from drivers pushing out, cyclists trying to get by, oncoming drivers refusing to slow, in short, a clusterf**k. When the clearway boxes were reinstated all returned to normal - mostly civil behaviour with the odd ignoramus (no rules prevent these so we all should just make life as inconvenient for them as possible when we find them!). So I have concluded that without some form of leadership in the form of barriers, bollards, Garda instruction signs (yellow lines, yield/stop/clearway signs) the behaviour in the collective will always find the lowest common denominator. This is why it must be so less stressful to be a Borg!

mathie

DaithiMC wrote: »

I don't think I am a cynic to the extent that I am negative, I think I am generally positive and optimistic. However I think expecting behaviours like this to change is too optimistic and unfortunately I am cynical that any collective acceptance and behavioural change can happen without some enforcement of the rules. I think the enforcement is not necessarily by people but can be by "things" such as bollards on the paths, or less intrusive, clear markings.

I commented on this somewhere before but I was amazed at the change in behaviour a simple road upgrade outside the Goat a couple of years back prompted. Basically, the road was resurfaced and the clearway box (yellow hatch patttern) was removed from two places. When they were removed there was no gap left for drivers coming out on to the road, cue multiple demonstrations of dissatisfaction from drivers pushing out, cyclists trying to get by, oncoming drivers refusing to slow, in short, a clusterf**k. When the clearway boxes were reinstated all returned to normal - mostly civil behaviour with the odd ignoramus (no rules prevent these so we all should just make life as inconvenient for them as possible when we find them!). So I have concluded that without some form of leadership in the form of barriers, bollards, Garda instruction signs (yellow lines, yield/stop/clearway signs) the behaviour in the collective will always find the lowest common denominator. This is why it must be so less stressful to be a Borg!

Don't google "shared space" whatever you do

DaithiMC

mathie wrote: »

Don't google "shared space" whatever you do

Yeah, I had thought about that too and consider that it either has to be all or nothing for it to work. In this case, the minimalist approach effectively hands over control to the individual. The situation in which there are rules, marks, obstacles takes it away. However, when you have a half-way situation, arguably like our road system, there will be confusion and different "interpretations" of what is correct.

CramCycle

DaithiMC wrote: »

I commented on this somewhere before but I was amazed at the change in behaviour a simple road upgrade outside the Goat a couple of years back prompted. Basically, the road was resurfaced and the clearway box (yellow hatch patttern) was removed from two places. When they were removed there was no gap left for drivers coming out on to the road, cue multiple demonstrations of dissatisfaction from drivers pushing out, cyclists trying to get by, oncoming drivers refusing to slow, in short, a clusterf**k. When the clearway boxes were reinstated all returned to normal - mostly civil behaviour with the odd ignoramus (no rules prevent these so we all should just make life as inconvenient for them as possible when we find them!). So I have concluded that without some form of leadership in the form of barriers, bollards, Garda instruction signs (yellow lines, yield/stop/clearway signs) the behaviour in the collective will always find the lowest common denominator. This is why it must be so less stressful to be a Borg!

The Goat is still a cluster f*ck, constantly blocked at rush hour for crossing traffic, often the traffic coming up the hill does not even bother stopping with the red lights during rush hour, constant beeping and aggression.

If you want to blame someone from the cluster f*ck that is that junction, blame the unnamed (by me) party who somehow got the carriageway going through there past Dundrum stopped.

Interestingly the carriageway would have went straight through the Goat under a compulsory purchase order. This would have went a huge way to relieving traffic from Dundrum, up to the M50 and down to the N11, and also off every side road attached including Sandyford industrial estate.

doozerie

DaithiMC wrote:

So I have concluded that without some form of leadership in the form of barriers, bollards, Garda instruction signs (yellow lines, yield/stop/clearway signs) the behaviour in the collective will always find the lowest common denominator.

From what I understand, in places where it has been trialled in the past there have been signifcant improvements in traffic flow and a reduction in traffic incidents where traffic lights (and perhaps forms of traffic direction like yield signs, etc.) have been removed. Mind you, I’ve only ever read references to the relevant studies, never the studies themselves, so I may have been reading biased interpretations of the results.

If true though then it might suggest that when people are obliged to apply some thought and analysis to a road scenario, they make more informed and better decisions. Maybe it promotes empathy, maybe people simply see a benefit to themselves in ceding way to other traffic in circumstances where traffic lights would ordinarily give no choice, etc., whatever the reason(s) it’s a very interesting area.

I’ve often thought that it would be very interesting to see the effect in Ireland of such a trial. Mind you, I also have a wary voice in the back of my head that tells me it’d be wise to stay off the roads in that situation until things have had time to “settle down”!

As regards enforcement by “things”, to my mind it has been proved time and again that this doesn’t work. Or at least, it may work to an extent but ultimately doesn’t achieve what was intended. The first example that springs to mind is traffic lights. Traffic lights seem to be installed to tackle congestion, typically, to ensure that people on lesser roads get an opportunity to make progress. However the knock-on effect of traffic lights in various areas near me has been to move congestion to a different location. Cue more traffic lights, resulting in the issue moving somewhere else, etc. There are a few local junctions that I know if, with no traffic lights, where you could be waiting 10 minutes or more to exit, it’s probably only a matter of time before they get their own traffic lights and someone else then bears the brunt.

There are nearly 40 sets of traffic lights on my 11km commute, and their timing is so out of sync (when I am on the bike or in the car) that they guarantee the journey will take a minimum of 25 minutes even with no other traffic on the roads. And despite that, I think that pedestrians on my commute route still get the shortest straw as regardless of number of traffic lights their opportunities to cross roads are ridiculously limited. I don’t know what would happen if all of the lights were removed and all road users had to negotiate with each other at every junction, but given the prevalence of people simply ignoring some of the lights already I’m not sure that it could make the situation worse, and it just might make it better. A very qualified “might”!

What is boils down to is that I don’t know what the solution is, but I think our attitude to the roads is part of the problem.

DaithiMC

CramCycle wrote: »

The Goat is still a cluster f*ck, constantly blocked at rush hour for crossing traffic, often the traffic coming up the hill does not even bother stopping with the red lights during rush hour, constant beeping and aggression.

If you want to blame someone from the cluster f*ck that is that junction, blame the unnamed (by me) party who somehow got the carriageway going through there past Dundrum stopped.

Interestingly the carriageway would have went straight through the Goat under a compulsory purchase order. This would have went a huge way to relieving traffic from Dundrum, up to the M50 and down to the N11, and also off every side road attached including Sandyford industrial estate.

Personally, I would not be on the side of any party that wanted a dual carriageway through there! That would have changed it from being a clusterf**k to a complete and utter disaster!

I don't think the Goat would have been taken out, the plans for that road run from the N11 and turn onto the land that is adjacent to Mount Anville. It is not completely off the cards as the land is still in DLR hands but it would, in my opinion, be a very retrograde step to the area.

BoardsMember

DaithiMC wrote: »

Personally, I would not be on the side of any party that wanted a dual carriageway through there! That would have changed it from being a clusterf**k to a complete and utter disaster!

I don't think the Goat would have been taken out, the plans for that road run from the N11 and turn onto the land that is adjacent to Mount Anville. It is not completely off the cards as the land is still in DLR hands but it would, in my opinion, be a very retrograde step to the area.

Like the planned halting site in Mount Merrion!!

CramCycle

DaithiMC wrote: »

Personally, I would not be on the side of any party that wanted a dual carriageway through there! That would have changed it from being a clusterf**k to a complete and utter disaster!

I don't think the Goat would have been taken out, the plans for that road run from the N11 and turn onto the land that is adjacent to Mount Anville. It is not completely off the cards as the land is still in DLR hands but it would, in my opinion, be a very retrograde step to the area.

I think a good chunk of it is up for sale at the minute.

I thought it was a single lane dual carriageway, i.e. a main road joining Fosters Avenue up to the M50, my understanding was the Goat was in the way, or so close it would have to be moved/torn down but it could have easily as suffered from business damage with such a road so I could have my info mixed up.

I am in two minds, the traffic is so bad in that area during school term that I can see the logic of the introduction but that I am well aware of studies showing that such measures will get filled by traffic regardless, and either leaving as is or even reducing the traffic capacity would make more sense.

The likes of the Industrial estate, Dundrum SC and the toll on the M50 make it hard to see what would happen either way.
There are certainly junctions in the area that do not require traffic lights or at least, they should be green/amber only with an immediate red for pedestrians when they request it.

Until better public transport is introduced (and it is the best in Dublin at the minute with the LUAS and numerous buses), I wouldn't know what to do. I say as someone who is not qualified for such things but then I see what those who are do and wonder is that actually important.

DaithiMC

CramCycle wrote: »

I think a good chunk of it is up for sale at the minute.

I thought it was a single lane dual carriageway, i.e. a main road joining Fosters Avenue up to the M50, my understanding was the Goat was in the way, or so close it would have to be moved/torn down but it could have easily as suffered from business damage with such a road so I could have my info mixed up.

I am in two minds, the traffic is so bad in that area during school term that I can see the logic of the introduction but that I am well aware of studies showing that such measures will get filled by traffic regardless, and either leaving as is or even reducing the traffic capacity would make more sense.

The likes of the Industrial estate, Dundrum SC and the toll on the M50 make it hard to see what would happen either way.
There are certainly junctions in the area that do not require traffic lights or at least, they should be green/amber only with an immediate red for pedestrians when they request it.

Until better public transport is introduced (and it is the best in Dublin at the minute with the LUAS and numerous buses), I wouldn't know what to do. I say as someone who is not qualified for such things but then I see what those who are do and wonder is that actually important.

I think the bigger problem is further down the Clonskeagh road. That backs up to and past the Goat and continued building of apartment blocks is only adding to the traffic. There are three Luas stations within walking distance from the Goat and none, except Windy Arbour at a stretch, further down. Although the 11 bus is a reasonable service, there is no room for a bus lane all the way to Ranelagh so no road widening past the Goat is going to fix that. So any addition to traffic at that junction from any other direction will just turn it into a car park. The one good thing about the road is that, unlike the Dundrum road, at least there is a cycle lane all the way to Ranelagh, so feck the motorists!

magicbastarder

CramCycle wrote: »

The Goat is still a cluster f*ck

hah. the one place i got knocked off the bike by a car, albeit ten years or so ago. bent my front wheel in two; thankfully there was no traffic coming the other way as i was thrown into the oncoming lane.

doozerie

I really like this article (though I may stop short of shouting encouragement at cyclists I know, I am Irish after all and we don't do that!): Commentary: Road rage

That’s exactly the way things ought to be when it comes to drivers and cyclists. There’s no place you’re going that is more important than respecting the safety and humanity of those around you. And there’s no day so frustrating that you get a free pass to take out your aggression on strangers. And there’s nobody who doesn’t pay taxes. Nobody.

So I’m inviting you all to join me in an effort to do better out on the road. Give your fellow cyclists some love and encouragement. Make sure you are as courteous to drivers as you’d like them to be to you. Follow the rules of the road. And, for heaven’s sake, be careful out there. The life you save may be your own.

DaithiMC

doozerie wrote: »

I really like this article (though I may stop short of shouting encouragement at cyclists I know, I am Irish after all and we don't do that!): Commentary: Road rage

I agree with the sentiment but it sometimes is very difficult to hold back. Myself and a clubmate today, on the return from a long spin and just past Enniskerry, were nearly taken out by an absolute and utter pr*ck driving an open back van/truck with wood shavings in it. We were two abreast but not in a particularly busy place traffic-wise and he cynically just pulled right across us as he passed. I would not have hesitated if he had stopped and got out, I would not have said a word, I would have just kicked him as hard as I could muster in the bo***x, such was my rage at what he had almost done. I think I have a lot of restraint and patience but he almost committed, at the very least, assault with a deadly weapon, at worst, intentional GBH or manslaughter. I am still amazed we came away in one piece, but if I see that truck again, and I have a partial reg, flaying would not be good enough given the fine display of ignorance he showed.

The tax man

nomdeboardie wrote: »

I raise you

<snip>

Taking the pic me feel a little better at the time (though I decided not to do anything with the evidence afterwards)

It's bad enough when cars park over manholes on the footpath,but if I needed to gain access to that cabinet I'd be banging on doors looking for the owner and telling the prick to move it.

CramCycle

To the cyclist who asked me "What my problem is?"

I hope this was rhetorical, as clearly, my problem is you.

If my clear and concise question did not get this across ("Is there any reason you are such a ****?"), then a deep investigation into your behaviour that pushed me to ask such a question is unlikely to reveal anything to you unfortunately.

doozerie

On my commute this morning I was stopped at a red light at the (big) junction of Rathfarnham Road and Dodder Park Road. A car pushed up uncomfortably close alongside me in the bus lane, he seemed to be the kind of driver that feels like they are losing out if they are not at least a metre ahead of all other traffic, regardless of whether this places them in the pedestrian crossing area. I was going to keep a close eye on him in case he swung left across me, without an indicator, on green.

I needn’t have worried. The pedestrian lights went green for all 4 roads at the crossroads, and as is always the case a swarm of cyclists pushed off and cycled across the junction. The only variation this morning was that the arse in the car followed them. The cyclists mostly slowed to allow some pedestrians across on the other side of the junction, the motorist slowed too, with some reluctance it seemed given how close he was to their rear wheels, then the entire swarm of cyclists and motorist sailed on through before the pedestrians even reached the footpath.

I was one of a tiny number of cyclists that waited for our green light, there was a general tutting and shaking of heads at what was playing out in front of us. A motorbiker beside us blew his horn, the motorist probably didn’t even register any of it, he continued on in the bus lane ahead and tagged onto the back of a line of traffic. Thirty seconds later our light was green and I was alongside him. I stopped and knocked on his window and asked if he knew he’d driven through a red light. He told me to relax. Charming.

Another 30 seconds later and I was up the road and he was still stuck in traffic. I don’t understand drivers who are in such a hurry that they can justify dangerous driving to themselves. If you are in such a hurry then leave the car at home and cycle, you’ll get there faster and with less chance of harming anyone along the way. Oh, and you won’t have people like me reporting you to TrafficWatch either, they have your details now and I’m hoping they do something with them.

As for the cyclists who broke the red light (amongst whom I recognised quite a few familiar faces who do this regularly on that route) and found a car trying to push past/through them, now you have a sense of how those pedestrians felt as you were trying to push past them. Ye have something in common with the motorist, ye are ignorant self-serving prats. You want to get from A to B faster, then go faster between the lights not through them, it’s quicker, healthier, safer, and less stressful for absolutely everyone.

Bloggsie

Does anyone know, if the DB website has anything in regards of safety advice to the DB users. I have commuted for the last 2 days to work in the city centre and the behaviour of some DB users defies logic, no hi-vis or helmets, earphones in & talking on mobiles(no hands free device)ignoring redlights, (inknow other cyclists can do some daft things to) but the most annoying is the mouth full of abuse I got this morning when I stopped at a red on the Quays behind a bus(cos there was no room to go up the inside)" move ye prick, im in a hurry" was the gist of his outburst, l ignored this charming man so he just went around the other side of the bus and on his way, no doubt with his attitude he had another issue or 2 with someone else before he got to his destination.
he probably shouts at redlights to hurry up as well!

Alek

no hi-vis or helmets, earphones

careful now

:pac:

move ye prick, im in a hurry

I'd lose it if I were you. :mad:

On the other hand, no cycling manual can stop an absolute asshat from riding a bike.

CramCycle

To the guy on the Cube with the black lycra bottoms, red jacket and red shoulder bag yesterday, I wasn't stopped at the lights to be an assh*t or awkward, I had stopped as there was clearly a pedestrian (with a green light) crossing the road, you may not have noticed her as you skimmed me and then narrowly missed her.

Just stop, when you went through the junction then and then decided, F it, I will cycle on the wrong side of the cycle path and nearly cream a DB user heading towards you and the cyclist on your left as you moved over and squeezed between the two at speed.

Then cut the pedestrian corner to take a left on red (the woman you cut off did not expect it and nearly fell over), then jumped the lights through pedestrians at the Baggot St/Mespil Rd/Haddington Rd.

First of all your an inconsiderate d*ck, and second of all, despite your want to be super fast, if you stopped at lights and used it as interval training then you might actually become fast.

Also, to the cyclist with the Rapha Pink cover on your back (its an RSA free one only it's pink, says Rapha and costs 20 euro rather than being for free), stop running red lights, and skipping queues, your not faster than the rest of us, both myself and a guy trundling on a Hybrid had to overtake you three times, on two occasions, pedestrians had to either stop or jump out of your way, and one car nearly hit you. If your wondering who I was, I was the guy who called you a pr*ck grand canal st. lower.

Bloggsie

Alek wrote: »

careful now

:pac:



I'd lose it if I were you. :mad:

On the other hand, no cycling manual can stop an absolute asshat from riding a bike.

That is true Alek! you dont need a manual to be a numpty!

doozerie

I was cycling up towards Sallygap this evening, from the Manor Kilbride side. A short distance up the road I saw a kid cycling the other way. I'm rubbish at guessing kids' ages, I'm going to hazard a guess at 10 years old in this case. He glanced over at me, I gave a casual "Hi", he responded with a huge smile and an enthusiastic "HELLO!". He was clearly enjoying his life to the full as he motored along. His enthusiasm was very infectious, I was left with a big grin as I headed on.

My grin didn't last long though. Further up the road I rounded a bend to quite a sight. It was near the small bridge over the Liffey, there were cars parked on the left, and around the cars were dotted people in various stages of undress. One guy was wearing a towel wrapped round him, his naked torso made me feel cold. More distressingly, closer to the road was a man wearing nothing but his underpants, struggling to get one leg into his trousers. The underpants were struggling, they were on the verge of a potentially traumatic wardrobe malfunction. I briefly considered yelling "HOLE! On the LEFT!" but I didn't 'cos I was riding solo and the humour of it would have been lost.

When I turned left at Sallygap crossroads I spotted something very odd in the distance. Initially I thought it was a signpost, then I realised it was floating in the air. No, those were wires attached either side of it, it was suspended, not floating, above the road. It took a while to realise that it was Kippure mast jutting out of a large cloud which completely obscured the hill underneath. I blame delirium brought on by the altitude (I'm short, I get light headed from climbing the stairs).

nomdeboardie

Don't cars roll 'Up the Hill Backwards' somewhere 'round there...? :eek::pac:

CramCycle

I did not cover myself in glory this morning, not sure why but made a load of schoolboy errors, rolled up the right side coming upto a T junction even though my line of sight was partially blocked by a van parked on the corner. I could argue that the van should not have been there but it does not change the fact that I shouldn't have went where i did.

On a nicer note, for the first time in a long time, I called a guy out on queue jumping, I was beside a motorbike at a pedestrian junction, when a guy I had over taken a minute or two before rolled between the two of us, and nearly fell over. As I passed him a moment later, I asked how the queue system was working out for him and he turned to me and said sorry, he knew it was stupid, he didn't know why he done it, nearly fell off doing it. I was so shocked I forgot to tell him we all make mistakes, but I went one better by overtaking traffic in a reckless manner a few minutes later. He didn't see me but I am sure, deep down, he knew, we both make mistakes, once we learn from them we will be fine.

Dermot Illogical

If you can't beat them, join them Cram

CramCycle

Coming to a T junction this morning, I had a green light. Always quite cautious as due to the busy nature of the road, cars often hang left to go right and squeeze into the yellow box. Almost across in one piece I realise that the two hi vis wonders coming down the road are not stopping or looking so I stopped on the yellow box (I am turning right, for those who don't know, that is what yellow boxes are for, not for left turning) rather than cause an accident. Of course while waiting for them to pass (without right of way), the pedestrian light came on as my light changed so I ended up waiting on the yellow box regardless. At this time I was undertaken by 8 other cyclists. I have to say it was the first two who annoyed me most, as running reds is one thing but to be so oblivious to other traffic (ie me) while on a bike is just asking for trouble one of these days, at least the other 8 appeared to slow and take it all in.

Needless to say I had overtaken 8 of the 10 inside of 150metres, and the final two within another 100, only slowed by the fact that the second of the two seemed to be half wheeling and I had to wait for a decent gap in traffic to give him enough room should he take them both out in one foul swoop.

I didn't give out to anyone, didn't say anything, I am not sure i can be arsed anymore. This said, at the next lights everyone cued up nicely, and two sets of lights later, one of those who had overtaken me came up behind me at a red. Out of pure ignorance, I made sure I was planted awkwardly enough across the cycle lane that overtaking me would be idiotic. He didn't but did at the next left turn. I enjoyed overtaking him for the third time, I could hear his gears changing as I glided by without effort. For a guy with a Contour camera on his head, you would think it might encourage him to have a bit more due diligence in terms of lights and good manners, although sadly he dragged me down to his level in the latter.