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

Bloggsie

glad you and your witty one liners survived this morning, while im sure your loved ones would miss you, I know Id miss your witty banter!

Fian

buffalo wrote: »

From the Rás back to reality with a bump. Some ****er pulled in on top of me this morning. After overtaking a working bin truck, I guess I didn't return to the gutter as quickly as he would like. I got a beep and then he pretty much ran me down from the side. Only for my Sagan-skillz, I'm pretty sure my bike would have been under his back wheel. I had to push from his car to keep my balance.

I'm just in shock about it. No idea where it came from. There was a line of motor traffic ahead and behind the truck, so it's not like I was holding him up. I was so surprised I just got the **** away from him and forgot all my witty one-liners.

Sooner or later there will be a critical mass of cyclists using cameras, assuming "wearable" technology becomes reasonable ubiquitous for everyday life on and off the bike. I expect we will see a dramatic improvement in driver (and cyclist) behaviour once people have the idea that they are routinely on camera.

So every Orwellian dystopia has a silver lining I guess.

I don't use a camera when cycling atm just to be clear, but whenever I see or am involved in an incident like this I wish I was using one. Anyway glad you are ok!

CramCycle

Fian wrote: »

So every Orwellian dystopia has a silver lining I guess.

"What Orwell failed to predict was that we'd buy the cameras ourselves, and that our biggest fear would be that nobody was watching."

check_six

So I'm coming up to a junction and a car coming the other way takes a right turn in front of me. I'm a bit away from the junction but closing fast, the car will make it across my path in time, just.

But wait! What's this? Another car wants to try the same trick. Oh joy!
I am changing direction to pass behind the car rather than have it go straight over the top of me which is what would happen otherwise.

Panic over... unless... yep, a third car is going to turn right in front of me, or, more accurately, into me.

Brakes squeal, wheels judder to a stop. I'm glowering at the driver who is just over a car bonnet's length from me. I express my disdain for their driving skills in a curt ungentlemanly vocal outburst, and the driver gives me back what I can only describe as a "yeah, yeah, yeah, whateva? *durrrr*"-look like you'd get from a teenager (the driver is *not* a teenager).

Have we got to the point where someone making a complete mess of a manoeuver and nearly splatting someone doesn't even elicit a nod of apology or a sheepish grin?

nomdeboardie

check_six wrote: »

So I'm coming up to a junction and a car coming the other way takes a right turn in front of me. I'm a bit away from the junction but closing fast, the car will make it across my path in time, just.

But wait! What's this? Another car wants to try the same trick. Oh joy!
I am changing direction to pass behind the car rather than have it go straight over the top of me which is what would happen otherwise.

Panic over... unless... yep, a third car is going to turn right in front of me, or, more accurately, into me.

Brakes squeal, wheels judder to a stop. I'm glowering at the driver who is just over a car bonnet's length from me. I express my disdain for their driving skills in a curt ungentlemanly vocal outburst, and the driver gives me back what I can only describe as a "yeah, yeah, yeah, whateva? *durrrr*"-look like you'd get from a teenager (the driver is *not* a teenager).

Have we got to the point where someone making a complete mess of a manoeuver and nearly splatting someone doesn't even elicit a nod of apology or a sheepish grin?

Been there many times - it's as if the drivers behind the first assume a new implicit right-of-way has materialised as they play follow-the-leader :rolleyes:

magicbastarder

i've had that excuse explicitly laid out for me a few times. 'but the guy in front did it too!' etc.

'68 Fastback

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed an increasing amount of other bikes passing on the inside? I commute from Inchicore to Merrion Square and anywhere the road widens out a bit I'm seeing alot of people trying to move up the inside. Heading out of town yesterday, at Kevin St college, I was overtaking a lady on a DB. She had the cycle lane and there were no cars on my outside so I moved out but as I passed her a guy undertakes(?) her and blocks my way back into the cycle lane. I have a very heavy bike that I know how to handle so I forced my way back in but I couldn't believe the brass neck on him, especially as he was a slow git on the open road.

I'm fighting the urge to buy a tellescopic batton for such situations.

Weepsie

Yes , yes I am. Happens all the time around the 5 lamps

haskellgeek

Weepsie wrote: »

Yes , yes I am. Happens all the time around the 5 lamps

Yes you are passing on the inside? Or yes you noticed it?

Weepsie

I meant noticing it!

droidus

check_six wrote: »

So I'm coming up to a junction and a car coming the other way takes a right turn in front of me. I'm a bit away from the junction but closing fast, the car will make it across my path in time, just.

But wait! What's this? Another car wants to try the same trick. Oh joy!
I am changing direction to pass behind the car rather than have it go straight over the top of me which is what would happen otherwise.

Panic over... unless... yep, a third car is going to turn right in front of me, or, more accurately, into me.

Brakes squeal, wheels judder to a stop. I'm glowering at the driver who is just over a car bonnet's length from me. I express my disdain for their driving skills in a curt ungentlemanly vocal outburst, and the driver gives me back what I can only describe as a "yeah, yeah, yeah, whateva? *durrrr*"-look like you'd get from a teenager (the driver is *not* a teenager).

Have we got to the point where someone making a complete mess of a manoeuver and nearly splatting someone doesn't even elicit a nod of apology or a sheepish grin?

I had someone take a right directly in front of me this morning. Bright sunny day, completely clear line of sight. Managed to jam on, skid around and barely miss her.

To her credit, she stopped, apologised and seemed very shocked herself. Think Ill need a new back tyre now though.

BoardsMember

Coming home from work last night, approaching the Rathgar cross roads from Orwell Road direction. Lights are green from my direction to go left and straight, with the light green for cars coming straight through the junction from Rathgar Avenue through to Orwell Road.

An aul fella on a bike in an old brown tweed suit, coming from Terenure direction, in the middle of the road, starts veering right early, sails through the red lights, and nonchalantly takes the illegal right down Orwell road with cars coming from his left and right, all making emergency stops or evasive manoeuvers to avoid splatting him.

He seemed totally disinterested, he didn't look left or right, just kept on going, steady as you like. As troubled as I was by this, I felt some admiration for him too - how does one get to that age with that type of approach to road safety? He had a very happy, composed air about him, like a poet or a philosopher, someone with a greater knowledge of how everything ticks than your standard commuter.

Bloggsie

BoardsMember wrote: »

Coming home from work last night, approaching the Rathgar cross roads from Orwell Road direction. Lights are green from my direction to go left and straight, with the light green for cars coming straight through the junction from Rathgar Avenue through to Orwell Road.

An aul fella on a bike in an old brown tweed suit, coming from Terenure direction, in the middle of the road, starts veering right early, sails through the red lights, and nonchalantly takes the illegal right down Orwell road with cars coming from his left and right, all making emergency stops or evasive manoeuvers to avoid splatting him.

He seemed totally disinterested, he didn't look left or right, just kept on going, steady as you like. As troubled as I was by this, I felt some admiration for him too - how does one get to that age with that type of approach to road safety? He had a very happy, composed air about him, like a poet or a philosopher, someone with a greater knowledge of how everything ticks than your standard commuter.

ahh him, he is a world famous professor and has created a unique magnetic field all around himself which makes cars, buses etc automatically swerve to avoid him, polar opposites and all that!

galwaycyclist

'68 wrote:

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed an increasing amount of other bikes passing on the inside? I commute from Inchicore to Merrion Square and anywhere the road widens out a bit I'm seeing alot of people trying to move up the inside. Heading out of town yesterday, at Kevin St college, I was overtaking a lady on a DB. She had the cycle lane and there were no cars on my outside so I moved out but as I passed her a guy undertakes(?) her and blocks my way back into the cycle lane. I have a very heavy bike that I know how to handle so I forced my way back in but I couldn't believe the brass neck on him, especially as he was a slow git on the open road.

I'm fighting the urge to buy a tellescopic batton for such situations.

Yea I think the legislation allowing cyclists pass on the left could have been better phrased.

Instead of

(b) A pedal cyclist may overtake on the left where vehicles to the pedal cyclist’s right are stationary or are moving more slowly than the overtaking pedal cycle, except where the vehicle to be overtaken—

<snip>

It should have been

(b) A pedal cyclist may overtake motorised vehicles on the left where such vehicles to the pedal cyclist’s right are stationary or are moving more slowly than the overtaking pedal cycle, except where the vehicle to be overtaken—

<snip>

I also think there should be a clause inserted elsewhere requiring mutual consent before cyclists can go side by side (double file).

'68 Fastback

My new favorite is when I'm taking off from a light and someone who wasn't bothered breaking for the red passes on the inside. Scares the bejebus out of me every time!

Alek

Ooops, posted ^^^ in the wrong thread. Mods, can you please move it to the Cyclocross Party?

CramCycle

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Yea I think the legislation allowing cyclists pass on the left could have been better phrased.

Not to ruin your theory, but I have a feeling, and only a feeling, that the people cycling like this are not the types to concern themselves with the minutiae of legislation.

CramCycle

Alek wrote: »

Ooops, posted ^^^ in the wrong thread. Mods, can you please move it to the Cyclocross Party?

Well if you really want to know what grinds my gears :pac:

Alek

Mud?


:pac:

galwaycyclist

CramCycle wrote: »

Not to ruin your theory, but I have a feeling, and only a feeling, that the people cycling like this are not the types to concern themselves with the minutiae of legislation.

I have no doubt that they aren't but it doesn't follow that this makes it ok to give them a defence in law for cycling like a dick.

check_six

Had an odd 'shoaling' experience the other day. We're all familiar with the loolah who creeps past you while you are waiting at each set of lights and plonks themselves in front of you after having been passed by you earlier. The classic shoaler.

The last few posts have mentioned the inside overtake/undertake. This is the variation whereby the shoaler squeezes up between you and the path. The under-shoaler.

My guy was different. I stop at the lights at an awkward junction. I'm looking to go right, there is a little traffic island, but there is no filter light. I prop myself up at the island on the rightmost side of the lane. My plan is to get across to the right as soon as the light goes green. I can comfortably beat traffic coming from the other direction, however as I'm waiting, this dingdong appears on the 'other' side of the island. As in facing directly into the oncoming traffic. A sort of salmon-shoaler combination.

I'm wondering what this fellow is planning as he is kind of looking around at the sky and nudging his bike forward. If he's heading the same direction as me then all is well. If he is thinking of heading straight on, I'm going to be colliding with him fairly shortly. I can't catch his eye and the lights are about to change.

Finally, I give in and say "You'd better be turning right". In an alarming development, this simple phrase came out more as a snarl than a happy-go-lucky friendly warning. I'm slightly surprised by myself, but luckily Mr. Daydreamey-wrong-side-of-the-road-head is even more startled. He says "What?", the lights change, and I tear off down the road unimpeded.

galwaycyclist

check_six wrote: »

Had an odd 'shoaling' experience the other day. We're all familiar with the loolah who creeps past you while you are waiting at each set of lights and plonks themselves in front of you after having been passed by you earlier. The classic shoaler.

The last few posts have mentioned the inside overtake/undertake. This is the variation whereby the shoaler squeezes up between you and the path. The under-shoaler.

My guy was different. I stop at the lights at an awkward junction. I'm looking to go right, there is a little traffic island, but there is no filter light. I prop myself up at the island on the rightmost side of the lane. My plan is to get across to the right as soon as the light goes green. I can comfortably beat traffic coming from the other direction, however as I'm waiting, this dingdong appears on the 'other' side of the island. As in facing directly into the oncoming traffic. A sort of salmon-shoaler combination.

I'm wondering what this fellow is planning as he is kind of looking around at the sky and nudging his bike forward. If he's heading the same direction as me then all is well. If he is thinking of heading straight on, I'm going to be colliding with him fairly shortly. I can't catch his eye and the lights are about to change.

Finally, I give in and say "You'd better be turning right". In an alarming development, this simple phrase came out more as a snarl than a happy-go-lucky friendly warning. I'm slightly surprised by myself, but luckily Mr. Daydreamey-wrong-side-of-the-road-head is even more startled. He says "What?", the lights change, and I tear off down the road unimpeded.

Saw pretty much same thing this morning. I was in traffic queue turning right. As lights changed a guy on a bike comes up on the wrong side of the road (and traffic island) and turns inside and slightly ahead of me.

Hmmm I said to myself - thats a new one.

nomdeboardie

check_six wrote: »

Had an odd 'shoaling' experience the other day. We're all familiar with the loolah who creeps past you while you are waiting at each set of lights and plonks themselves in front of you after having been passed by you earlier. The classic shoaler.

The last few posts have mentioned the inside overtake/undertake. This is the variation whereby the shoaler squeezes up between you and the path. The under-shoaler. ...

:eek:
Inner shoaler :pac:

check_six

nomdeboardie wrote: »

:eek:
Inner shoaler :pac:

Some startling levels of recall there! Are you available for pub quiz teams/Vegas card counting adventures?

BoardsMember

Salmon shoaler....excellent

Thud

Saw a girl yesterday with her helmet on backwards, there was a visor on it to make it even stranger, visor was on her back helmet was tilted up so didn't offer much protection, dunno how you'd even manage to get it on like that.

nomdeboardie

check_six wrote: »

Some startling levels of recall there! Are you available for pub quiz teams/Vegas card counting adventures?

Yes. Yes I am

Seve OB

Thud wrote: »

Saw a girl yesterday with her helmet on backwards, there was a visor on it to make it even stranger, visor was on her back helmet was tilted up so didn't offer much protection, dunno how you'd even manage to get it on like that.

is that not how the cool kids wear it?

dreamerb

Yesterday evening, cycling southbound over Harold's Cross Bridge, traffic was backed up so though the light was green, there was a row of stationary cars to my right. From the opposite direction, someone in a cream probably-mini was indicating to turn right along the canal. I'm always wary of this, so I'm watching carefully, keeping my speed down and shaking my head at the driver - I have clear right-of-way and he is looking right at me. And there's a moment's pause, before he clearly decides "feck it" and accelerates across my path.

Did I mention it was wet?

Cue me frantically pulling on brakes, saying no-no-no-no-no-YARK (no, I've no idea either) - rims were damp, I could feel uneven braking at the front and the back wheel hopped, but I *just* managed to stop without sliding out of it. All the while there's an old man on the bridge saying "take it easy, take it easy" (???)

Got what I'm pretty sure was a sympathetic yes-I-saw-that-twit-you-ok? look from a pedestrian (carrying a cycle helmet though!) on the far side.

And I think I'm going to drop in to my LBS and talk brake pads: I'm probably due a new set anyway. Any advice on good all-weather brake pads gratefully received...

rollingscone

If Road brakes then Swisstop Green are unbeatable.

Currently on sale on SwinCycleRun.